D&D 4E Should hit points continue to be generated randomly in 4e?

[GreatLemur]

Damage is rolled randomly. There is no need for hit points to be rolled randomly.

 

[Szatany]

However: I have a feeling in 4th ed you'll start with a lot more hp than in previous editions. Let's say triple max hp. This is to make sure you'll start playing at the 'sweet spot'. Because of these higher base hit points the randomness of later rolls won't matter as much. Additionally, the hp gained per level will probably lower than in 3rd ed to make sure you'll stay longer in the 'sweet spot' level range.

I dislike that idea because it makes fighter 1 / rogue 1 different from rogue 1 / fighter 1. What I'd like to see instead is that your first HD isn't maximized (if HP aren't rolled for, that impossible anyway), but you add your COnstitution score to your HP. So a fighter1/rogue1 has something like 16+1d10+3+1d6+3, and rogue1/fighter1 has identical HP as well.

Same for skill points, but with Int score.

That would be all the more important if there are no more NPC classes as I've heard. Classes characters would simply have HP=Con score then.

 

[The Souljourner]

I voted for no random hitpoints. There's nothing worse than rolling a 1 on your die.... that's up to 11 hitpoints you will never ever have over the entire lifetime of your character. It's the same reason why most people use point buy.... no one wants to get stuck with the guy who rolled bad, because it stays with the character forever.

In almost all the campaigns I play in, we use 1/2 die size for hitpoints per level. Then you have no one cheating and no one getting screwed.

I like the idea of adding your constitution to your hitpoints at first level, instead of max hitpoints. I think that's a really elegant solution, and fixes the problem of which character class you take first making a bigger impact on your character.

-Nate

 

[Umbran]

Damage is rolled randomly. There is no need for hit points to be rolled randomly.

Sure there is, especially for PCs. Damage rolled against a PC will, in the long run, tend to look like some sort of average. Randomly rolled hit points mean that characters of similar class can vary with respect to that average.

I find that randomly rolled hit points are an interesting driver of PC development, both in personality and mechanics. I'm not a fan of planning out advancement through all levels before play begins - and randomly rolled hit points can move players to make unconventional choices to either compensate for or take advantage of the rolls.

From that standpoint, having at least one randomly rolled part of advancement can be an asset, rather than a detriment.

 

[Cadfan]

I hate random hit points.

But, whenever I give my players the choice between random or guaranteed average hit points rounded up (since all the averages are X.5s), they choose random. Even though the average hit points rounded up is mathematically better over the course of their career.

So, people like it, I guess.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I like the idea of adding your constitution to your hitpoints at first level, instead of max hitpoints. I think that's a really elegant solution, and fixes the problem of which character class you take first making a bigger impact on your character.

I like the sound of it, too. But then, I'm also in favour generally of more things that utilise actual ability scores, rather than just the mods, and occasionally an odd number (13, 15, 17 or 19, generally) for some feat prereq.

In fact, I'm really tempted to just go with "yoinked!" And frack it, why not. I'll see how it looks with the rest of my HRs.

 

[TheCrazyMuffinMan]

Initial: (5 + con mod) x 4, then 5+ con mod per level (a la skills), replace hit dice advantages with initial ability score boosts

Progression: Replace further HD rolls with bonus skill ranks in set class skills, more for those who once had great hit dice)

 

[Shadeydm]

Random hitpoints are fine until your fighter rolls a 1 the next time he levels. I think fixed progression by class would be just fine.

 

[TheCrazyMuffinMan]

If class-based HP progression is still desired (and it often is), then treat HP boosts like skill boosts instead.

Ex:


d12: ((8 + con mod) x 4) + (8 + con mod) per level
d10: ((7 + con mod) x 4) + (7 + con mod) per level
d8: ((6 + con mod) x 4) + (6 + con mod) per level
d6: ((5 + con mod )x 4) + (5 + con mod) per level
d4: ((4 + con mod) x 4) + (4 + con mod) per level

 

[outsider]

This poll is playing out about the way I thought it would. Random HP is a sacred cow, but not as big as say random attributes is. Bioware was planning on non-random hitpoints for NWN1, and there was a huge outcry against it. Ultimately, they went with something along the lines of the "partial roll" solutions people are advocating here, and everybody just rerolled their HP until they got maximum anyways. Funny how that works out. All the players that desperately fight for random rolls for their character wind up pretty close to maximum.